Debts and Secrets
by The Madhatter2
Summary: Post Jackpot. GC. Grissom repays his debt to Catherine.


DEBTS AND SECRETS  
  
By The Madhatter  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned these characters, do you really think I'd be writing fanfics? lol.  
  
A/N: I'm finally back to writing! Stupid homework and projects. . . grr. . . The sad thing about writing this fic was I actually wrote this right after Jackpot aired, but I never could finish it until now. For some reason I couldn't find a way to end it. Everything had been written for weeks, except the ending. . . Well, it's finally here. I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I loved writing it. :D  
  
+++  
  
Grissom stumbled into the office long after everyone on his shift left, right after he solved the 'head case.' He didn't even bother to change out of his filthy clothes as much as he wanted to; he needed to do the paperwork and take care of a few more items before relaxing. Flipping on the light, he saw that his desk was straightened up; his case files were in two neat stacks. His pens and pencils somehow fit into one cup near the top of his desk off to the left, his other files and papers were in another neat stack on the right, and his steaming cup of coffee sat in the middle of his desk. Grissom's lips twitched upward at the remarkable work Catherine did to his desk. Sometimes he wondered what he would do without her.  
  
Sitting down on the soft comfortable chair, Grissom sighed in relief and let his tired legs and feet rest on top of his desk. Typically, this would be out of character for him, but like he told the Lieutenant, he was trying to change. Change wasn't necessarily bad, either.  
  
Out of nowhere, his phone went off in his pocket. Groaning, he placed his feet down, fished out his phone and answered. "Grissom."  
  
"You back yet or still out in the boonies?" Came the sarcastic remark.  
  
He grinned. "What do you think, Catherine?"  
  
"Well, knowing you, you're probably lost up in the mountains, chasing after your beloved bugs."  
  
"Hmm. I did consider that."  
  
He heard her merry laugh on the other side. "Why does that not surprise me? So, you enjoying your nice hot cup of coffee?"  
  
His eyebrows shot up. He completely forgot about that. "I forgot."  
  
"I'm insulted."  
  
"Don't be. But I am curious how you managed to get a freshly brewed cup of coffee on my desk if shift ended," he checked his watch, "three hours ago. I know you didn't leave right as I got here."  
  
"I cheated." He could almost feel her grin through the phone. "I asked one of the days interns to fill it up."  
  
"How did you know when I was coming back?"  
  
"I guessed. I hoped that the coffee would still be hot by the time you came back."  
  
He smiled again, touched by her thoughtfulness to actually, no doubt, bribe one of the day interns to fill a cup of coffee for him. "Well, thanks. The appreciation hasn't gone unnoticed."  
  
"It better not. I worked by butt off. I had to pull rank and make Warrick stay and help me after shift to clean that god-awful desk of yours. How you find or do anything on there is beyond me."  
  
"Maybe I should give him a raise. . ."  
  
"Hey! Not fair."  
  
He chuckled. "What about the case files?"  
  
"Don't tell me you didn't find them."  
  
"I did. I was just about to go through them, when you called. There are two piles."  
  
"I know. The taller stack are the ones that I did - Warrick ditched me on those - and the smaller stack are the ones I couldn't get to. I had to leave some up to you."  
  
"Fair enough. Thanks, Cath. I mean it."  
  
"No problem. Just give me a call next time, before you go off on another one of your random safaris, okay? I don't like coming to work and finding out that you've disappeared and I have to take over spontaneously. Oh, and also, the next time you decide to duck case reviews, have Sara do it. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to. It's not exactly the best thing for my head or my eyes."  
  
Grissom couldn't help the smirk from forming on his face. "I know. I'm sorry. And I'll keep that in mind. Thanks again, Cath. I don't know where I'd be without you."  
  
"Under six mounds of paperwork."  
  
He chuckled. "Yeah, sounds about right. I owe you."  
  
"Big time."  
  
"Let me finish the rest of these case files and some paperwork, and take a shower. Then I'll take you out, okay?"  
  
"Sure. Or if you're too tired, I can wait."  
  
"It's not a problem. How about we just eat at my place and I'll make breakfast."  
  
"Sounds good. Just tell me when."  
  
"Will do. Thanks again, Cath."  
  
Grissom hung up and leaned back in his seat, a smile on his face.  
  
+++  
  
The doorbell echoed throughout the small townhouse as Grissom finished prepping the food for their breakfast. He wiped his hands on the kitchen towel draped over his shoulder, then padded over to the front door to welcome his guest. "Good morning, Cath."  
  
She smiled. "Good morning, Gil," Catherine greeted cheerfully as she slung her jacket over one of the chairs, making herself comfortable. "Are you sure you don't want to sleep yet?"  
  
He dismissed it with a wave of his hand as he went back to the counter to make the rest of their breakfast. "I hope you don't mind an omelet, do you?"  
  
"That's perfect, actually. Thanks." She leaned against the opposite side of the counter, resting her head in the palm of her left hand, watching him work. "So, how was it up in good ol' Jackpot, Nevada? Did you meet a new girl over there, that's why it took you so long to get back?" Catherine joked.  
  
"Actually, the Lieutenant and the veterinarian thought I had a wife."  
  
Her nicely shaped eyebrows shot up, taken back. "A wife?"  
  
Grissom's smirk went unnoticed. "Yeah. They thought I had a wife back home bothering me during the case."  
  
Catching onto his drift, Catherine returned his smirk with one of her own and replied, "Oh yeah? So what did the forgetful husband say to that?"  
  
He cocked his head to the right, halted in mid-slice, peering at the woman in front of him curiously. "That she hated it when they were apart."  
  
"Good answer. See, you'd make a good husband someday." They shared a small smile and a chuckle. "So that's why you said 'dear' when you answered the phone at the vet's place."  
  
"It was quite humorous, actually. The lieutenant was especially interesting. He was the one that asked if I was having wife troubles. He also asked if I'm keeping anymore secrets from you."  
  
"Secrets, huh? What'd you say to that?"  
  
"That I used to; I'm trying to change."  
  
"That's the gospel truth now? No more secrets?"  
  
Grissom shook his head. "Not really. You don't know all of my secrets," he replied, a twinkle in his eye. "But you know most of them."  
  
"Like your hearing?"  
  
"That's a big one."  
  
He turned around and set the items up for their omelets on the range. Both of them were in a comfortable silence as Grissom let the egg sizzle on the pan. Catherine stared out the window, watching the bright sun beat down on the small community that Grissom lived in.  
  
"What about you? What are your secrets?" Grissom asked, over his shoulder, piercing the silence.  
  
"You know my secrets."  
  
"True. What about the one you're keeping from me right now?" Catherine looked at him, shocked. "You're thinking of something and it's bothering you. I can tell."  
  
"It's nothing important. . . and I wasn't planning on keeping it a secret for long."  
  
"I know. Your toasted bagel is in the toaster-oven."  
  
She smiled slightly. "Thanks." As she returned from retrieving her bagel, Catherine continued explaining. "It's Sam, again." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Sam is trying to get back into my life by paying me."  
  
"How much?"  
  
She dropped a crumpled piece of paper in front of him as he placed a plate full of eggs in front of her. Catherine watched Grissom as he unfolded the paper and read its contents. His only outward expression showed a raised eyebrow, but Catherine knew what he was asking. Why?  
  
"Eddie's dead. I'm low on money. Sam knew," she answered his unasked question. "I tried giving it back, but he told me that I needed it and to cash it for whatever reasons. I don't need his charity, especially now that he's a murderer. . ."  
  
"But you need the money," Grissom finished for her, setting his own plate down.  
  
She sighed. "Yeah. I do. But I can't take his money, not like that."  
  
"He's your father, I'm sure he's just trying to look out for you," he suggested with a small shrug.  
  
"Maybe he is. . . but I don't like what he's doing. I thought he was doing it so I'd be in debt, but he said he didn't need my help. I hate pity."  
  
"I know you do. Would it hurt if you did end up cashing the money? Sam's a rich man, I doubt he skimmed that money off the Vegas mob."  
  
Catherine let out a bitter laugh. "You never know with Sam."  
  
"Cath, think of it this way. You're doing this for Lindsey. This money Sam gave you is for Lindsey, use it for her benefit, without thinking of Sam."  
  
"Yeah. . . you're right, I guess. But maybe that's not what's bothering me. He said I enjoy making life hard and that I'm lucky Lindsey is too young to understand that." She sighed, playing with her food. "I'm starting to think that maybe I am making life too hard. Maybe I should quit while I'm ahead."  
  
Alarmed, Grissom's eyes widened suddenly, staring intently at her, trying to figure out her line of thought. "Don't ever say that," he said sharply.  
  
The tone of his voice snapped Catherine out of her daze and self-pity. "What?"  
  
"You're doing fine, Cath. Don't let Sam get to you like that."  
  
"But the money. . . he's right. I am making life too hard on me and Lindsey. Once she gets older, she'll understand. . . I only want the best for her."  
  
"You're doing what's best for her in the way you think is right. Everything Sam says isn't always right, you know that. Use the money in the best way you see fit," Grissom advised, pushing the check into her hand. "You're a fine mother and Lindsey knows it."  
  
Smiling, Catherine leaned over and kissed Grissom on the cheek. "Thanks, Gil."  
  
He grinned. "So, does this mean I'm out of debt?"  
  
- End - 


End file.
